RomanPunks is a retrofuturistic, cyberpunk derivative world-building project inspired by fine art, history and the cryptopunk movement.
A total of 1,000 RomanPunk characters have been frozen in time and minted as Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs) on the Ethereum, WAX, Polygon and Algorand blockchains.
RomanPunk characters are comprised of commoners and famous individuals based on Roman history, art history and pop culture.
The basis for RomanPunk lore and backstories is exhaustively researched by history/sci-fi buff and co-founder, Punktavian.
All images are drawn by hand by woman artist and co-founder, Cleopunktra, without the aid of AI or generative tools.
RomanPunks came into existence through early minting on OpenSea, promoting on Twitter and building a Discord community through giveaways and engagement. The idea of a cyberpunk-derivative ‘RomanPunk’ theme was in our heads for years, but it was the success of the Cryptopunks that became the catalyst for project conception and launch.
After a hard working first 60 days spent networking and attracting new collectors to RomanPunks, our community had begun to flourish and sales increased. We began to offer our collectors an opportunity to battle their NFTs in a tournament bracket powered by dice rolls.
Encouraged by the tight knit community and the carbon-neutral blockchain with lightning fast and low cost transactions, we launched 'romanpunksio' collection on WAX Blockchain as the first step to expand the backstories of our RomanPunk characters and the baseline for future development of a card game.
RomanPunks integrated with Chainlink Labs to utilize VRF (Verified Randomness Function) to host a giveaway raffle for our holders. We developed a smart contract on Ethereum which guarantees true random number selection on chain and can be used for a wide range of functions that require random selection.
After much anticipation in the community, we released our first WAX NFT card 'pack' through the Neftyblocks platform, which sold out in less than a week.
We launched our Twitch channel and begun building an audience by offering numerous giveaways of WAX NFTs from our collection, as well as giving participants a chance to win RomanPunk ETH NFT airdrops for taking top spot at the end of the 'season'.
As firm believers in a metaverse future and land owners in The Sandbox, we undertook to build the RomanPunk Colosseum on 1x1 land and entered our experience "Gladiator Bloodsport" into a GameJam contest. We will continue to build the Colosseum into a PVP arena and social hub once The Sandbox offers creators the ability to do so.
Thanks to the user friendly tools offered by NeftyBlocks, we launched a comprehensive blending system on WAX, allowing our collectors to blend the common NFTs they earn in our Discord RPG up into Legendary famous NFTs through the use of blending 'coins' that can also be earned on the Discord as reward for helping to promote the RomanPunks project.
We launched the VX collection on Polygon. Each owner of an ETH NFT gets their voxel equivalent airdropped to them, and these NFTs can be redeemed for official NFTs on The Sandbox Marketplace once available.
All 1,000 original, unique 1:1 RomanPunk characters hand drawn by Cleopunktra and minted on OpenSea.
The RomanPunk WAX NFT Trading Card Fighter Pack Series II consists of 3 NFTs randomly selected from over 236 characters.
Upcoming plans for RomanPunks include:
Below is a comprehensive and searchable directory of all 1,000 RomanPunk Characters.
Born in 360 AD in Isca Augusta to a Roman soldier and Iceni mother, Morgaine rebelled against her abusive father, waging a guerilla war against Roman occupation until she was caught by her own half brother and sentenced to die by gladiator combat.
Born 2072 AD in Limonum, Ysella is a pre-ludus art teacher who teaches the fundamentals of finger painting with the help of her hyperintelligent poodle, Pamala. But when class is over, Ysella leads a double life as a radical activist, hurling cans of paint at ancient monuments to protest against the Empire’s space-polluting fusion-powered rocket ships. Though her defiance may seem futile against the faceless, massive galactic Empire, Ysella persists, knowing that even the smallest splash of color can challenge the darkness.
Born 2423 AD in Atuatuca, Dovina is known for her fierce intelligence and rebellious spirit. In her early twenties, she entered the Miss Metaverse pageant, using the platform to advocate against sexual harassment. Dovina made headlines when she publicly accused a clone of Julius Caesar of groping her during the 2500-year anniversary of his victory in Gaul. This bold move sparked controversy, but her courage inspired a movement for justice and equality.
Born 1955 AD in Tolosa, Ricki is a hairdresser, gossip, and fan of Italo disco who mixed up her cell phone for an interdimensional portal device and was transferred to the 1st century AD where she continues to cut hair and spread rumours in the public baths.
Born 139 AD in Tarsus, Balacrus is as staunch defender of Roman interests in his native Cilicia. Upon learning of a planetary alien and cyborg invasion, Balacrus enlisted in Marcus Aurelius’ interdimensional task force to protect his native Earth from the extraterrestrial scourge.
Born 266 AD in Trento, Uto was part of the mysterious Cthulu Cohort that, disappeared in a cave and returned as cybernetic drones puppeteered by an extradimensional alien force loyal to Emperor Diocletian.
Born 418 AD in Tolosa, Gaatha was a footsoldier who fought with King Theodoric I against Attila the Hun at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains. She introduced advanced technology obtained from an interdimensional portal in Aurelianum to turn the tide of battle.
Born in 158 AD in Lugdunum, Liv lived as a dancer assassin during the times of Marcus Aurelius, but was cast into an interdimensional speculum by a jealous Commodus. Transported to the 26th century, she flourished as a singer soldier who spearheaded a major troop recruitment campaign.
Born in 90 BC in Rome, Cindy Cincinnatus was a loyal centurion who fought with Julius Caesar, using technology from the distant future to help Caesar defeat his enemies; however, she could not foresee his assassination and took her own life out of shame.
Born 345 AD in Nemausus, Equus was originally the stablemaster on a grand estate, enslaved from a young age. His life changed when Erana Veranix, the estate’s mistress, freed him after a Vandal invasion that cost them both their sight. Together in holy matrimony, they established the Institute for the Blind and Animal Rehabilitation, where Equus’s deep bond with animals and enduring spirit play a pivotal role in the sanctuary’s mission.
Born 212 AD in Hispalis, Maxim was slave to a cyborg patrician. Upon learning of his master’s secret he was sent to the gladiator pits; skilled with a knife, became a successful fan favourite who always fought with slurpee in hand.
Born 405 AD in Pelso, Tina was the illegitimate daughter of Godigisel and a servant woman. Interdimensional traveler and half sister to King Genseric, she led Vandal troops razing cities across Spain, Africa and Italy, culminating in the great Sack of Rome in 455 AD.
Born in 137 BC in Aventicum, Margaux was the mischievous daughter of an eccentric Helvetian sundial craftsman who discovered a telekinesis device in her father’s possession which she purloined and used to dominate her enemies in the gladiator arena.
Born 77 AD in Agrigento, Alan collects all species of birds from Africa, creates genetic copies of them and peddles the fowl replicants at his commercial aviary in Rome.
Born 160 AD in Caralis, Lola lived a charmed life of revelry until the purges of Commodus caused her to escape through an interdimensional portal to the 22nd century AD. Now holed up in the Neo-Aztec Collective, she unabashedly continues her epicurean indulgences in the vaporwave splendor of Floridia.
